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Considering a the /massive/ amount of variation between tactics available in the game I don't think it'd be unreasonable for Regiments who are kitted out for a certain combat style to have their own permanently attached flyers. Elysians for example, or fluffing out Catachan jungle fighters as being air mobile instead of having /any/ heavy armor support in keeping with their light jungle recon look. Or in my personal case a combined arms unit that tries to mimic a more permanent version of the US Marine Corps MEU.

As to who owns the pilots, the Navy or the Guard. Perhaps having joined the Navy, and become pilots, then been selected for Valk/Vendetta training the Navy fliers are then sent to a "finishing school" to give them the combat skills and flight skills required to effectively support troops on the ground. (Ask any Marine Corps fighter pilot, CAS (close air support) is a /whole/ different animal then normal flight) then they're sent on to their regiments as their Permanent Duty Station. So you have naval officers wearing Guard uniforms, flying Guard aircraft and reporting up the Guard CoC till the Navy takes them back to stick'em somewhere else. So the birds are organic to the Regiment, and the pilots are assigned by the Navy. So with a little fluff your combined arms Regiment with air support makes perfect sense without stepping on too many toes. For the circumstances a full squadron of Valks temporarily dealing it's pilots out to various regiments for flight support makes sense as well, whether those assignments change daily via the flight schedule (Flights 1 and 2 are with the 181st Cadian for CAS today, 3 is to report to Spec Ops command to insert some Shock Troops behind enemy lines, etc) or having the Valks, their pilots and support staff bunk up with the Regiment their being attached to for the duration of the campaign.

Connor MacLeod wrote: ....As far as whether Valkyries/Vultures/Vendettas and all the 'gunships' are part of the Guard or the Navy, they're 'technically' part of the Navy as far as things go despite that making no sense (The whole point of the Guard/Navy separation was to keep the Guard from having access to ships that allow them to get into space/other planets. I'm guessing its basically politics dictating that - eg Anything that has wings must be part of the Guard.) But this being 40K that rule is far from absolute and it is possible for the IG (unofficially) acquire things through various (unnoficial, illegal) means.

pretty sure this is the answer

Elysian fanboy/player here:

Unless the regiment in question functions as an airborne force, ie. Elysian Drop Troops and Phantine Skyborne, or if they are part of the Inquisition or Storm Troopers, then any operating Valkyries have been requisitioned from the Imperial Navy for use.

To address the OP, the numbering would likely be Navy, but it is entirely up to you to delegate colours at your delight. Many vehicles are painted to fit their purpose, and I can see no difference as far as repainting a Valkyrie to mesh with the regiment it is currently serving with.

Welcome to the skies as well, may your opponents eternally roll 1-5 to hit.

-Captain

KalashnikovMarine wrote:then been selected for Valk/Vendetta training the Navy fliers are then sent to a "finishing school" to give them the combat skills and flight skills required to effectively support troops on the ground.

Actually, funnily enough, that isn't the job of Valkyries or Vendettas. That is what the Vulture is for. Valkyries & Vendettas are for getting troops to where they need to be as quickly & safely as possible with the potential for destroying targets on the way, prior to drop off or after the troops have disembarked - hence why the Vendetta is more heavily armoured & armed, for when the Valkyrie may not be strong enough to take what will be thrown at it. The Vulture is there to provide CAS or 'Wild Weasel' or perhaps perform the interdiction role. Certainly the pilotsof Valkyries & Vendettas will be trained for it but it's the oft-forgotten Vulture who performs the role.

Fido198674 wrote:

Connor MacLeod wrote: ....As far as whether Valkyries/Vultures/Vendettas and all the 'gunships' are part of the Guard or the Navy, they're 'technically' part of the Navy as far as things go despite that making no sense (The whole point of the Guard/Navy separation was to keep the Guard from having access to ships that allow them to get into space/other planets. I'm guessing its basically politics dictating that - eg Anything that has wings must be part of the Guard.) But this being 40K that rule is far from absolute and it is possible for the IG (unofficially) acquire things through various (unnoficial, illegal) means.

pretty sure this is the answer

But are Valkyries really spaceworthy? They seem to use jet turbines which clearly don't work in space.

Indarys wrote:

Fido198674 wrote:

Connor MacLeod wrote: ....As far as whether Valkyries/Vultures/Vendettas and all the 'gunships' are part of the Guard or the Navy, they're 'technically' part of the Navy as far as things go despite that making no sense (The whole point of the Guard/Navy separation was to keep the Guard from having access to ships that allow them to get into space/other planets. I'm guessing its basically politics dictating that - eg Anything that has wings must be part of the Guard.) But this being 40K that rule is far from absolute and it is possible for the IG (unofficially) acquire things through various (unnoficial, illegal) means.

pretty sure this is the answer

But are Valkyries really spaceworthy? They seem to use jet turbines which clearly don't work in space.

IIRC the atmospheric aircraft used by the Imperial Navy (Valkyries, Vendettas, ect.) where delivered to a warzone by spacecraft (ex. Dictator-Class Cruiser) that entered low orbit and launched the aircraft into atmosphere.

Edit: Found the source: Ships of the Gothic Sector for BFG, The Dictator-Class.

Indarys wrote:But are Valkyries really spaceworthy? They seem to use jet turbines which clearly don't work in space.

Just like the turbines on Thunderhawks, you mean?

And again, the Liber Apocalyptica on GW's website specifically mentions them to be spaceworthy - to some degree, at least ("much less manoeuverable in space").

I think they are under the Navy, but the Army can request to have permanent regiments stationed with them until a Campaign is over. This would allow for what you see on the table-top. It is very similar to how Armour Regiments and Infantry Regiments get handed out within the Army themselves. They are never permanently the same group, but "lended" until the mission is over or they are destroyed.

They are navy. I think they may be space capable, and all space capable vehicles belong to the navy.